A 6-year old boy from Pune's Chikali has left doctors stunned with his rare condition that caused his skin to be extremely fragile and peel off with so much as a simple scratch.

The boy suffers from an extremely rare skin disorder called epidermolysis bullosa. Simple scratching and rubbing was causing his skin to peel off and blister, leaving him with painful wounds and ulcers. The boy has blisters inside his mouth too and is not able to eat solid food as a result. Doctors mentioned that they do not have an exact number of how many people in the country suffer from this rare disorder as there is no national registry.

Also, to ascertain the exact subtype, antigen mapping or genetic analysis needs to be done, both of which are extremely expensive. An experimental treatment option would be to use a genetically modified skin graft. But again, it is very expensive and the family may not be able to afford this. For now, the only feasible treatment option would be extreme lifestyle changes which would involve wearing several layers of clothing, including pads around the bony areas.

Information for the article was sourced from Times of India. Read the original here.